"I wondered if I was the only one in the room who felt like I was at worship. ... I wondered if anyone else noticed that we — poets and audience — were the body of Christ in communion with the great Creator."

"We are the roses of the world, blooming gloriously amid small and big thorns."

Ferguson "led us through an incredibly exciting, painful, liberating, and tumultuous time with great love, enduring faith, inspiration, and a joyful spirit," said Sr. Patricia Siemen, the congregation's current prioress.

"Historical barriers of prejudice have been overcome. We have not given up in the face of disagreements. There have been personal changes in mentality, toward greater openness."

Following decades of repression, the Catholic Church in Cuba has been slowly rebuilding in the last 20 years. Through work by the sisters and other programs, the church extends its reach beyond parishes and strengthens ties with donors, often Cuban exiles in the U.S. and elsewhere. Care is taken to not draw too much attention from government officials lest there be repercussions from a government that discourages publicity on how the church or organizations step in where the state falls short.

"We have to welcome the stranger, we have to welcome the migrants and welcome the refugees who are fleeing from such harrowing conditions in their own lands and also to care for our victims of domestic violence and the modern-day slavery of human trafficking."

As religious, some of us have huge institutions, plenty of houses, and any number of rules and regulations. But do we enjoy the spirit of true sharing in community?

At a recent dinner for persons of color, we shared the experience of overcoming racial dynamics that exist within predominantly white religious institutions. All of us had experienced times when white people would rather see our faces than hear our voices.

When my piano teacher became pregnant, I had to switch teachers and locations. I traded an open, bright music house to the dark, dusty basement of a music store.

"Being a nun is not just about prayer, it is about action."